Real Madrid 23/24: Systemic issues, injuries and squad-building failures: the bigger picture of the issues

By: PGS | September 29, 2023 5:40 pm
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Although Real Madrid have started the 2023/24 season with 6 wins out of 7 games in LaLiga (1 loss) and 1 win out of 1 in the Champions League, the level of play the team has displayed has been far from what the results would suggest.

Of the 7 total wins so far, 3 have come as a result of late Jude Bellingham winners after the 80th minute, with two actually coming in the very last minutes of games. Furthermore, none of the wins have come by a margin of 3 goals or more, and only 3 wins came with a margin of more than 1 goal.

13 goals scored in 8 games, and 6 conceded. So far, the team has trudged on, using some late heroics from Jude Bellingham and co. to paper over the cracks.

Jude Bellingham celebrating the last minute winner vs Union Berlin.

The tactical issues, if not addressed in time, will eventually catch-up to the team and the results will begin to drop off. However, the bigger issues could be related to squad building, and unless addressed in the winter market, which is highly unlikely as the club has historically proven to be averse to making big moves in January, the issues could end up being disastrous for the club.

Tactical issues:

The same tactical issues from the last 2 seasons have persevered until this season, although there are some signs that these issues are finally being dealt with. The biggest issue for the team over the last 2 seasons has been the counter press. The team has consistently proven to be extremely disorganized when initiating a counter-press.

The common sight of a completely disjointed press, with the gap between the first and last line being massive, leading to opposition teams having barely any trouble beating the press, has continued being a glaring issue for the side so far. With the adoption of a 4-4-2 diamond this season might have further compounded the problems.

With a very narrow shape in possession, with the fullbacks being almost completely relied upon for width, especially after Vinicius’ injury and in instances in which Fede Valverde has been off the field, the shape has contributed to the pressing issues.

Upon losing the ball, the team reverts to a flat 4-4-2 shape to defend in, but it is clear that the team does not have this down to a tee yet. Oftentimes the team fails to get back into proper shape in time, while other times if the opposing player with the ball is pressed immediately, the team fails to block off all his nearest options in time.

The sight of one player aggressively pressing while the rest of the team falls back into defensive shape is a common one, and the lack of coordination has lead to countless transition opportunities for opposing sides. The team is still extremely vulnerable on set-pieces and crosses, as seen in the game against Atletico in which the team conceded 3 headers.

On the offensive side of things, tactical issues continue to hamper the individual abilities of players. While Vinicius and Rodrygo seem to be adapting to playing in a front two, albeit slowly, the lack of tactical ideas to elevate them has held the two Brazilians back.

In the front 2, both are given a great degree of freedom, and both are able to drift wide at will and play more naturally, and Vini has already shown signs of mastering the half-space run into the box, on the left in particular.

However, with both being natural wingers, often Vini moves to the touchline on the left, while Rodrygo operates in the half-space next to him, which leaves 0 presence in the box. This has allowed defenses to be comfortable in their settled shape, and not have to worry about a constant threat in the box.

These issues have also been compounded by poor finishing. Rodrygo so far only has 1 goal from 3.8 xG, and has missed a number of chances he would’ve buried otherwise. Joselu has underperformed his xG as well, scoring 3 from 4.5.

Injuries:

All of the aforementioned problems have been greatly worsened by injuries to starters.

Both Militão and Courtois will basically miss the entire season with ACL injuries. The teams best CB over the last 2 seasons, and arguably the best goalkeeper in the world for the last 3 or 4 years will miss the season, and the impact their loss will have cannot be overstated.

(Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

On top of these 2 massive injuries, Vinicius Jr. has already missed 4 games due to a hamstring injury, and would’ve missed more had the international break not come at a fortunate time.

New signing Arda Güler, who while not a key part of the squad but would have been a great option off the bench, is yet to play a single minute after suffering two injuries already.

Ferland Mendy also missed the first 6 games due to injury, and now David Alaba is expected to miss around 2 weeks.

5 startes have now had injuries which have caused them to miss multiple games (the whole season in the case of Militão and Courtois), and very few, if any, teams can cope with such losses this early on.

Squad-building issues:

Even after all the tactical and injury issues, the biggest problem in the squad might still have to do with composition.

While the midfield, in the eyes of the author and a lot of fans around the world, is the best in the world, with 7 incredible players of all required profiles, the midfield Real Madrid have constructed is one of the deepest ever.

However, the frontline and defense are lacking greatly. The most obvious issue is the lack of a world class center forward. Losing the best striker, and maybe even the best player in the world for the past 3 seasons or so; Karim Benzema, was always going to be a massive blow to the team. Benzema was the main source of goals in the team, while also being one of its primary creators and the main guy who connected the rest of the attack. This combined with his role as the team’s leader, Benzema was the face of the franchise up until his departure.

Losing a Ballon d’Or winner is bad enough, but then proceeding to not replace him at all is disastrous. Joselu was always brought-in as a replacement to Mariano, not Benzema.

With Benzema out of the team, the team has lost its focal point in attack, a good 40+ G/A, and the lack of a replacement has caused a plethora of tactical issues. The only way to really solve these issues are by signing a truly world class replacement, and with Mbappe refusing to leave PSG and the club refusing to look at alternatives, the summer transfer window came and went without a replacement.

Another issue has been the lack of cover at CB and RB. Carvajal’s decline over the last 3 seasons has been very steep, and while he has had a renaissance this season, it still does not make-up for the fact that he has no clear alternatives.

Lucas Vazquez has done a decent job at RB since he was moved there, he still is a natural winger, and his physical decline is clear to see.

At CB, the team did have adequate cover at the start of the season, but Militão’s injury has ruined that. Now the team only has 3 senior center-backs; Rudiger, Alaba and Nacho, and Alaba has already picked up an injury. In addition to this, Nacho is often tasked with covering at either fullback role, and our CB depth is stretched paper thin. If Rudiger or Nacho get injured or suspended, the player to step-in will either be an out of position Mendy, or Marvel from the youth set-up.

This article may make it seem as though all is doom and gloom for Real Madrid this season, it still needs to be remembered that Real Madrid are still one of the most talent heavy sides in the world. In Vinicius and Rodrygo, the team has two of the most electrifying attackers around, and a 7-man midfield rotation of Kroos, Modrić, Fede, Camavinga, Tchouaméni, Ceballos and Bellingham could be the deepest midfield constructed ever. Add to that players like Alaba, Rudiger, Caravajal, role players such as Fran Garcia, Brahim and Joselu, and the guidance of one of the most successful coaches ever, Real Madrid are still a formidable team, albeit with some pretty obvious issues.

Real Madrid target Trent Alexander-Arnold and Jonathan Tah to bolster defense amid injury crisis

By: TheMadridZone | October 14, 2024 12:19 pm
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Real Madrid are targeting Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold and Bayer Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah to strengthen their defense in light of recent injuries. Manager Carlo Ancelotti has informed the club that reinforcements are crucial to maintaining their competitive edge this season.

Alexander-Arnold’s playmaking ability and defensive versatility have made him a vital asset for Liverpool, while Tah’s strength and reliability in the Bundesliga have been key to Bayer Leverkusen’s success. With both players on Real Madrid’s radar, the Spanish giants are looking to bolster their squad depth as they face a challenging season ahead.

Trent Alexander-Arnold or Alphonso Davies, who does Real Madrid need more?

By: PGS | August 2, 2024 6:54 am
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Real Madrid are reportedly interested in two of the world’s best fullbacks: Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alphonso Davies, and the club are aiming to sign them for free in 2025, when their respective contracts end with their clubs. In an ideal scenario, the club will be able to sign both, as both are phenomenal talents that would improve the club. However, a scenario could arise in which the club would be forced to choose between one or the other. The club’s modus operandi when signing players in recent years has been to encourage their targets not to renew, sign them for free to save up on transfer fees, and offer them high wages. This method was used to first sign David Alaba, and Antonio Rüdiger and Kylian Mbappé have also been signed with the same method. The club is now aiming to do the same with Trent and Davies, and the club could be in a situation in which they will have to decide which way to pour more resources. Both are elite talents around their prime, and both will demand high wages. So, if the club is in a position to choose only one, the question arises; who does Real Madrid need more?

The answer, in the opinion of the author, is Trent Alexander-Arnold.

While Trent and Davies are both known to be exceptional offensive talents, their styles of play are very different. Davies is a monster in transition, a super quick player who originally started as a winger and later transitioned into a fullback. He is a player who loves to take players on, something that is reflected in his monstrous 3.1 take-ons completed p90 (comparable to prime Marcelo numbers). In a footrace, there are very few players in the world who can keep up with the Canadian, and his main way of attacking comes from beating his man and creating chaos with his dribbling and speed.

Trent on the other hand, is not the athlete Davies is, but is a passing wizard. Slower, and a worse dribbler than Davies (only 1.2 take-ons p90), Trent’s main strength is his final ball. Attempting 7.1 crosses p90 and completing 2.3, compared to 1.4 attempts with 0.5 completed for Davies, their differences are clear to see. Trent is seen as one of the best passers and crossers in the world, and is also an elite set-piece taker. His passing range and technique put midfielders to shame, and his passing in transition is some of the best in the world.

So, why do Real Madrid need Trent more than they do Davies? The answer is the stylistic profiles of both Trent, and the players at hand at Real Madrid. Trent Alexander-Arnold can be seen as almost being tailor-made to fit this current Real Madrid side. A truly devastating passer in transition, a player who completes 30 forward passes a game, 1 through ball and 6.2 long balls, Trent is a one-man transition weapon. For comparison, Toni Kroos completed 9.8 long-balls a game last season. While Trent’s long passing is not Kroos’, with Kroos’ departure, having someone of Trent’s quality will go a long way in helping fill that void. While Davies also has his offensive talents, the gap between him and Trent in these departments is immense. Davies completes 16 forward passes p90, only 0.4 long balls and 0.2 through-balls. Davies’ skills in transition are his ball-carrying and speed, while Trent’s are his precision passing and ability to spread the play immediately.

Analyzing these different skills in the context of Real Madrid, it becomes clear that Trent’s skillset is a better fit. Firstly, there is the task of replacing Kroos’ passing. While no player in football can do that, Trent’s ability to switch play, find targets on the run with pinpoint precision, and set-off attacks in transition will go a long way in helping mitigate some of the effects of Kroos’ departure. Then, you have to look at the attackers that will be starting for Madrid. Vinícius Jr., Kylian Mbappé and Rodrygo are as fast an attack as you will ever see. All three are incredibly fast and are truly devastating in transition. Imagine a counter-attack with the three on the break, and Trent finding them with his long-passing. An attack like that would truly be unstoppable.

Furthermore, Trent would also be an incredible outlet option on the right. All three aforementioned players and Jude Bellingham naturally gravitate towards the left. Naturally, there will be an overload there that will force opposition defenses to crowd that area, leaving the right open, something we saw every game during the threepeat era. A quick switch to an open Trent who will have ample space to cross or shoot would be a truly elite weapon in Real Madrid’s locker. Jude would also be an elite crossing target, but Trent’s crossing is so good that even without tall targets in the box, he has managed a remarkable number of assists for Liverpool. None of Salah, Mane and Firmino were truly great aerial targets, but Trent found them consistently regardless, and the same can be expected with his Real Madrid targets. With this skillset, Trent is also a much better creator than Davies, creating 2.7 chances p90, compared to 1.6 for the Canadian. Trent also helps mitigate the effects of losing a set-piece taker, as Trent has been the primary corner and free-kick taker for Liverpool, and has done an exceptional job so far.

These stylistic profiles are also why Davies is not as big of a need as Trent is. What he excels at, Vinícius, Mbappé and Rodrygo also excel at. Being a left-back, Davies would also play in the flank that these three like to play-in, and while having an elite attacking fullback on that side would be a plus point, not having him would not be a problem either. The right side on the other hand, is relatively lacking in attacking talent, mainly with the starting XI. All of Madrid’s natural right-sided attackers are expected to come off the bench, with Brahim, Endrick and Arda, the teams three left footed attackers, will not be bonafide starters. As a result, the main threat on the right will come from Fede Valverde’s runs. Right now, Carvajal provides width and is elite at it, but signing Trent adds another, truly world class, weapon on the right, and sets-up a long-term replacement for Carvajal as well.

On the defensive side of things, an equally important part of their game, both Trent and Davies have come under criticism. Seen as attacking fullbacks with average defensive games, Trent and Davies both have deficiencies on their part. Trent is infamous for his propensity to leave the back-post unguarded and lose his marker, while Davies is often criticized for his lack of positional discipline. Both are not elite defenders, but are not bad either. Statistically, they produce similar defensive numbers, with Davies completing slightly more tackles p90 (2.1 vs 1.7), while Trent has very slight leads in interceptions (1.3 vs 1.2) and clearances (1.8 vs 1.7). Yet, despite their defensive weaknesses, Madrid fans do not need to be concerned. Defending is far more reliant on the team’s structure than individual talent, and with a midfield of Tchouaméni, Camavinga, Jude and Fede in front of them, they will have more than enough cover to go on their marauding runs.

Age is also a factor. Dani Carvajal may have had the season of his career last season, but he will be 33 by the time the 2025 summer rolls around, and Lucas will have reached 34. Ferland Mendy on the other hand, will have just turned 30, and Fran Garcia will be reaching his 25th birthday. Taking into account this aspect as well, Trent is the better, more needed option for the team next summer.

As said before, the ideal scenario would be signing both, but if the club was to be faced with the decision, then Trent should be the club’s choice.

Arda Güler cuts his vacation short

By: Ardit Lipa | July 26, 2024 12:01 pm
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Arda Güler has cut his vacation short to return training for the new season.

Real Madrid’s 19-year old gem had a really positive EURO 2024 with Türkiye, exceeding everyone’s expectations while reaching the quarterfinals & going out just in the quarterfinals.

Going that far in the tournament, Arda Güler was scheduled to have a longer vacation, but the Turkish star has decided to cut them short & will return to Madrid tomorrow, where he will start training with the team and travel to USA on Sunday for the preseason tour.

Arda spent his vacation in Bodrum in Türkiye & Maldvies, where he was seen constantly individually training – preparing for the new season.

Güler had a first season full of unlucky injuries, but in the limited minutes he had at the end of the season – he scored 6 goals, impressing everyone & also was fantastic in EURO 2024, letting it be known that he can have a much bigger role in 2024/25.

The Turkish star wants to start strongly in preseason, to slowly gain a place for himself & get more minutes. With other players coming later to preseason, Arda Güler will be a starter in the preseason games vs Milan (August 1st), Barcelona (August 4th) & Chelsea (August 7th).

Kylian Mbappé’s impact beyond just the goals:

By: PGS | 6:16 am
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Everyone knows what Kylian Mbappé’s signing for Real Madrid will bring: goals, goals and more goals. An absolute machine who scored 255 goals in 305 games for PSG, Mbappé is widely expected to be the club’s top scorer next season. His attacking prowess is known to all, and what he will bring directly is more than obvious. Yet, his signing has spillover effects that aren’t being touted as much as they should be. Arguably the best player in the world, what Mbappé will bring to the club is not only his goals, but his presence, his gravity, and while these might seem like vague terms that have no footballing value, his impact beyond his goals and assists will cause waves throughout the team, and as a result, throughout the sport.

Over the past few seasons, Real Madrid’s primary source of danger has been Vinícius Jr. While he has had other elite attacking talent around him, such as Karim Benzema, Rodrygo Goes and Jude Bellingham, he has been the most dynamic player in attack, and has been world class for 3 seasons now. The best dribbler in the world, and an elite creator who has fantastic output both goals and assists wise, Viní would’ve had 3 seasons of 20 goals 20 assists had he not gotten injured last season. Regardless, Vinícius’ overall play and impact over the last 3 seasons has been truly unbelievable.

However, despite all his successes, Vinícius has also had certain issues, issues that are largely systemic issues that affect him, rather than his own shortcomings. One common criticism levied at him has been his propensity to lose the ball. Over the last 3 seasons, Vinícius has completed around 3.5-4 take-ons per game, at a success rate of around 45%, which for a player of his quality is actually quite underwhelming. For comparison, other elite dribblers such as Hazard and Neymar often had success rates around 60%. A gap this big is not normal, and by simply watching Vinícius dribble, one can come to the conclusion that this low success rate is not down to any weaknesses on his part. Yes, he does sometimes take poor touches, but these are few and far between. The real culprit for this low success rate is how the team is set-up, and how much attention is given to Viní by opposition players.

A sight that is far too common in any Real Madrid game is the one of Vinícius Jr. isolated on the left flank, having to take on 2/3 players at once. The way Real Madrid are set-up, and have been for the last 3 or 4 years, has lead to this occurrence being extremely frequent. Playing without a natural 9 last season, and even when Benzema was here, he played as a false-9 and did not occupy the center-backs like a natural one would. Furthermore, Ferland Mendy, as good as he is at defending, is not a prominent offensive presence. He does overlap consistnently, but his crossing and overall play in the final third leave a lot to be desired. As a result, opposition center-backs and even defensive midfielders have had the freedom to leave their area to double up on Viní, as they don’t have a box presence to mark, and can afford to leave Ferland Mendy fairly free. With the talent and speed that Viní has, he has often beaten 2 or 3 markers at once, but to expect him to do it consistently is just unrealistic. With him being placed in such situations consistently, he is bound to lose the ball, and as a result his success rate becomes unreflective of his real abilities.

Here is where Mbappé’s underrated impact will come into play. A truly devastating force in attack, teams cannot leave Mbappé unmarked anywhere on the pitch, let alone in the final third. Mbappé is an even bigger scoring threat than Vinícius, and is a more natural scorer who constantly occupies the box, makes frequent runs into the box from deep or by linking-up with players around him, and with his pace, he is also a threat from even around the halfway mark. Through his scoring threat, Mbappé will bring a sort of gravity that has been missed since Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure. Mbappé is also a player who naturally gravitates towards the left wing, and often takes up spaces in and around the left half-space. This drags defenders away from Viní, and presents a consistent, elite option for Viní to link-up with as well. Think back to the 3peat team, with Marcelo, Ronaldo, Benzema and Isco often operating in the same zones on the left, linking up with each other to create crossing space for Marcelo, while creating space in the box for Ronaldo and Benzema to attack. A similar sight can be expected this upcoming season as well, with Viní, Mbappé, Jude/Rodrygo and Mendy being the players playing in close proximity.

These additional benefits that Mbappé brings go both ways. Vinícius is also a player who defenses cannot leave unmarked anywhere on the pitch. We have seen how much damage these two can cause on their own, and playing together now, the amount of space they will create for each other will take them to never before seen heights. Two lightning fast attackers who can score, create and dribble at elite levels, playing alongside other unbelievable attacking talent such as Jude and Rodrygo, Real Madrid’s attack will be unstoppable next season.

Three ways Real Madrid can line-up with Kylian Mbappé:

By: PGS | July 25, 2024 7:00 am
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Kylian Mbappé may have finally joined Real Madrid only this year, but anticipation over his arrival had been brewing for years before. And naturally, as anticipation increases, so do questions around his fit into the team. One common question that has dominated discourse around Mbappé joining the club has been how he will line line-up alongside Vinícius Jr., another elite attacker who plays on the left. This question does not have an easy answer, as both Mbappé and Vinícius are attackers of such a high degree that forcing one to play out of position to accommodate the other is not a viable option. However, while on paper this may seem to be a problem, players of such high-quality gelling together well has never been an issue, and here we take a look at three possible ways that Real Madrid could line-up with Kylian Mbappé in the side.

  1. Classic 4-3-3:

The most common solution that has been touted to this problem is lining up in a classic 4-3-3 with Mbappé as the 9, Vinícius on the left and Rodrygo on the right. This line-up makes sense as Mbappé has played at 9 a lot throughout his career, and allows Vinícius to retain his natural spot on the left. While Vinícius has played on inside often, his natural tendencies are to play more like a classic winger, taking up positions near the touchline and constantly looking to get his fullback in a 1v1 situation. In this system, Mbappé would play more centrally, being the primary occupier of the opposition center-backs, and looking to make runs into the pockets of space created by Vinícius and Rodrygo occupying defenders. This attack would have a lot of success, but it also brings some drawbacks. Mbappé has always preferred to play on the left rather than down the middle, as he often curves his runs from outside on the left towards more central zones, and makes himself harder to mark for opponents. Knowing Carlo Ancelotti, Mbappé will be given almost absolute freedom to move where he wants, and this could be a problem only in theory, but before the season starts, it is yet to be known. Another downside to this line-up is that it loses the midfield security the diamond brought last season. In a 4-3-3, it is natural to assume that the midfield three would be Bellingham and Fede as the 8s, and Tchouaméni as the DM. This midfield does have a great deal of defensive prowess and running, the solidity brought by the diamond last season was a huge part of why Real Madrid were so successful. Furthermore, it also pushes Bellingham back into an 8 role, and while he is world class there, the 10 has brought him and the team unbelievable success. Mbappé is also not a good or very hard-working defender, and making up for his deficiencies in that area is also a concern.

  1. Keeping the diamond: The second option is to continue with the XI that brought the team such huge success last season, the 4-4-2 diamond, with Vinícius and Mbappé as the front 2, and Bellingham behind them in the no.10 spot. In the opinion of the author, this is the best option, for a number of reasons. Despite both Viní and Mbappé starting off as 9s, with the freedom provided by Carlo Ancelotti, they will be free to go out wide, interchange with each other and even overload on the left akin to what Ronaldo and Benzema or Benzema and Viní used to do. With the two overloading the left, it would allow Viní to play his natural role on the touchline, and let Mbappé operate in the left half-space and more central zones. Viní has shown in the UCL that he can interchange seamlessly with his frontline partner, and Mbappé out wide while Viní moves centrally and vice-versa would be a massive challenge for any team to defend against. It also solves the aforementioned issue of the midfield losing security, as the usual 4 would be in place. Another added benefit that the 4-3-3 cannot provide is that even if both Viní and Mbappé move to wider areas, the box can still be occupied by Bellingham and his marauding runs. A much bigger and better aerial target than Viní, Mbappé or Rodrygo, having Bellingham in his usual 10 role, presents another, different challenge for opposition defenders to try and deal with. Maximizing the offensive effectiveness of Viní, Mbappé and Bellingham should be the goal of any system, and the diamond may be the best option to do this.

  1. The 4-2-2-2: The third and final option for next season is the 4-2-2-2, a variation on the classic 4-4-2 that Carlo Ancelotti has used in both of his tenures at the club. Like a 4-4-2, the difference is that instead of two wingers, Carlo Ancelotti uses two tens as pseudo-10/wingers, who play very centrally and are given license to roam. In his first tenure, Ancelotti used Isco and James Rodriguez as his two 10s, and last season he used Jude Bellingham and Brahim Diaz in that role. If Real Madrid opt to line-up like this, then the front four or so to say would be Bellingham and Rodrygo/Brahim/Arda as the roaming 10s, and Viní/Rodrygo and Mbappé as the front 2. This XI is much more likely to be deployed against weaker opponents, or during times of injury crises, and thus there are likely to be multiple players in contention for these different roles. The front two and the 10s can be expected to operate in the same way that they did in the diamond, but the midfield would be slightly weaker as the pivot would be the only players who can be expected to generally stick to their position and provide cover for the backline.

With Mbappé in the side, the attack is going to into a completely new stratosphere. Despite all the concerns around how two left-sided attackers will thrive together, the fact remains that superstar level players will always find a way to work together. Even at Madrid, Ronaldo, Benzema and Marcelo, all primarily left-sided players, found a way to gel together and win an unprecedented Champions League threepeat. The on-paper issues around Mbappé’s fit with Vinícius will remain just that; on paper. Rather, the benefits of Mbappé joining Madrid and his impact on Vinícius will be truly incredible, and will be discussed in an article here on Madrid Zone soon.

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